It looked as though Roberto De Zerbi's side would climb out of the bottom three after producing a much-improved display against the Italian's former club, but having led on two occasions, it conceded in stoppage-time in each half.

Spurs came flying out of the traps in the first half but were hugely fortunate not to concede in the 32nd minute.

Micky van de Van got ahead of Danny Welbeck from Jack Hinshelwood's knockdown, and the stand-in skipper was lucky to divert the ball off his own post.

The hosts then struck from their next attack as the influential Xavi Simons lifted a delightful dink into the area, with Pedro Porro beating Bart Verbruggen to the ball to score a 39th-minute opener.

They could not see that advantage through to half-time, though, with Kaoru Mitoma, who replaced the injured Diego Gomez, lashing a spectacular volley past Antonín Kinsky.

Spurs dusted themselves down after that setback and had the better of the second half, with both Conor Gallagher and Joao Palhinha going close before Simons's curler went in off the post in the 77th minute, after Lucas Bergvall stole possession from Jan Paul van Hecke.

There was to be one final twist, though, as Van Hecke picked the pocket of Kevin Danso and found Rutter, who delivered a hammer blow to Spurs' survival hopes by firing into the roof of the net.

Spurs could find themselves four points adrift of safety by the time they visit Wolverhampton Wanderers, which is still not mathematically relegated, next weekend, with Nottingham Forest and West Ham United in action in the next two days.

De Zerbi remained in an optimistic mood despite the late disappointment.

"I am sorry for the result, for the players, because they are suffering too much," he said. "Today, we deserved to win the game.

"I am positive, I am proud of my players. They played a fantastic game with character and spirit. We have to be stronger than this result, we have to move on and prepare for the next game and try to win the game at Wolves [next weekend].

"Today, I saw signs, I saw blood, character, qualities, organisation with and without the ball – everything to reach our target."

The Spurs boss urged his players to maintain a similar mindset in their battle to avoid the drop.

"I said [after the game] to be strong, to follow me again and again because I want to help them," he added. "They can change the mentality because that is the most important part.

"Now, it's too easy to think negatively, but we have to be focused on this performance and work to find the condition to win again. I am positive because I know my players, I know their qualities. I know them as people and I believe in them.

"I know we are fighting to stay in the Premier League. A very difficult moment. But we are lucky, every one of us, to work in this club with these fans because it was an incredible atmosphere today.

"You would think we are fighting for the Champions League, not relegation. Until the end, we will fight in every game and give our best. If we are able to give our best, it's not finished yet.

"We have to improve a lot of things. The crucial part is to keep this mentality and I told the players to come on Monday afternoon with the same behaviour they showed today.

"I don't want to work with sad people, with negative people. They have to believe in me. If I am here, it's because I am positive about staying in the Premier League."

Goalscorer Pedro Porro echoed the head coach's thoughts, insisting he and his team-mates must quickly dust themselves down ready to go again.

"I think after the game, we don't have time for disappointment," the defender said. "For me and my team-mates, the best thing is to keep pushing, keep going.

"I think the team today was very good. I think the first half was very good for us. The team pressed very well. I think the most important thing now is staying positive."